Numerous types of hearing devices are known and have been developed to assist individuals with hearing loss. Examples of hearing device types currently available include behind the ear (BTE), in the ear (ITE), in the canal (ITC) and completely in the canal (CIC) hearing devices. In many situations, however, hearing impaired individuals may require a hearing solution beyond known solutions provided by a hearing device alone. For example, hearing impaired individuals often have great difficulty to follow a normal conversations in noisy environments, encountered at parties, meetings, sporting events or the like, involving a high level of background noise. In addition, hearing impaired individuals often also have difficulties listening to audio sources located at a distance from the individual, or to several audio sources located at various distances from the individual and at various positions relative to the individual.
A known hearing aid system comprising a secondary source for audio has been described in US 2003/0044033 A1. The known hearing aid system discloses a selection of two audio sources. A first audio source is called primary source for audio, such as a hearing aid microphone. The hearing aid system comprises a secondary source for audio, such as a directional microphone worn or otherwise supported by a person speaking. In operation, a detection and switch circuitry receives signal transmission from the secondary audio source and determines whether the signal received is desirable. If the signal transmission is desirable, the circuitry selects the signal for coupling with the hearing aid circuitry. If the transmission signal is not desirable, the circuitry selects the signals from the primary audio source for coupling with the hearing aid circuitry.
Further known teachings are disclosed in US 2005/175 202 A1, WO 2008/128 563 A1, EP-1 296 537 A2 and WO 2010/086 462 A2.
The known teachings presume that the hearing aid user's aim is to better hear the alternative input signal (secondary signal), either via the acoustic path or via another transmission manner.
The present invention has the aim to improve hearing of a specific sound source.
Many objects, aspects and variations of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon reviewing the prior art and in light of the teachings herein.